(1)
World War II had recently ended, but it had left its devastation around
the world. The major cities of Europe had been heavily damaged, and
many of the cities of Asia and the Pacific had been destroyed. Manila,
the capital of the former US colony Philippines had been occupied and
was now in ruins; its universities, rubble. What, if anything, could
college students across the Pacific in the United States do that would
have any real effect? It turns out, quite a lot!

Some of the Alpha Phi Omega-USA Brothers
in Texas and the Pacific Northwest had fought in these islands. They
knew, firsthand, of the friendliness of the people and of their need.
They knew that education of the young people was a vital necessity if
the country was to get back to its feet. They could do something, and
they did. Book drives were started on their campuses and hundreds of
textbooks, used but useable, were gathered from their libraries and
fellow students to be sent to the Philippines to help re-stock the many
burnt-out college libraries in Manila.

It was a successful service project, but like many one-time
projects, it was soon forgotten, remembered only in the scrapbooks of
the chapters involved and in the mind of the then APO-USA
National President (1931-1946) H. Roe Bartle “The Chief”. It was a good
example of a service project; it had all of the elements of a good
story; and the Chief never forgot a good story.

Time passed. It was January 1950, and (2) Sol George Levy
(Gamma Alpha 1947), a professional scout, an APhiO member at the
University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and a friend of Dr.
Bartle, was going to the Philippines to help generate more interest
among the Scouts here. The Chief told him what APO
had done a few years earlier to help re-establish Filipino university
libraries. One January evening that year, scouts in Manila were invited
to a conference by Mr. Levy. He passed on the story to them, mentioning
how nice it would be if a Scouting-based fraternity similar to Alpha Phi
Omega could be established in the country. He expessed his desire to
organize Alpha Phi Omega, and distributed some copies of three APO publications: Questions and Answers, National Constitution and By-laws, and Ritual Rites and Ceremonies.

The story was of particular interest to a group of Scouts at Far
Eastern University in Manila. It may be that their library was one of
those which had been helped, or it may be that the idea of a
Scouting-based fraternity just struck fertile ground. Librado I. Ureta,
an Eagle Scout, a graduate student, and was among the audience; together
with a group of over twenty Scouts and advisors began organizing work.

On March 2, 1950, at the Nicanor Reyes Hall, Room 214, Far Eastern
University, Manila, Philippines; the first organization of Alpha Phi
Omega outside of the United States of America was established. It is now
known as the Alpha Chapter.

The Charter Members during one of the organizational meeting of APO Philippines. Clockwise: Sitting – Hawkins, Sevilla, Atienza, Ureta, Neric and Velasco. Standing – Dominguez, and De los Reyes. Scan courtesy of old T&T newsletter from Bro. Edmar Par (Sigma 1975)

Alpha Phi Omega rapidly and healthily grew in the Philippines. In its
third year, it became a national organization with seven chapters
chartered in Manila and Visayan campuses. It was registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on
October 21, 1953 as a non-stock, non-profit and non-dividend corporation
with a registered name of Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Incorporated.
It renewed its registration on June 8, 1981 with the SEC Registration No. 0099381 under the name of Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated.

Alpha – Mar 2, 1950Beta – Mar 24, 1951Epsilon – Mar 2, 1952Delta – Mar 9, 1952Zeta – Mar 28, 1952Eta – Feb 10, 1953Gamma – Oct 5, 1953
Alpha Phi Omega International (Philippines), Inc. was the first country to be chartered outside the USA.
Although it is separate and independent from its mother country, it
adheres to the cardinal principles designed by Brother Frank Reed
Horton. The badge and revised coat-of-arms created by EVERETT W. PROBST, one of the original members, were adopted. However, the handclasp was patterned from the Boy Scouts’ and not from that of THANE S. COOLEY.

In “The Story Behind Founding”, Dr. Frank Reed Horton, wrote:

“As Scouting is world-wide, so should Alpha Phi Omega be
world-wide, gradually in the colleges and the universities of all nations,”

And so it did.

History of APO Philippines Sorority
(3)The
commitment of women in Alpha Phi Omega have been started and involved
within the activities of the fraternity since the first decade of
existence in the Philippines.

In the past, APO sisters belonged to
sororities of different names. Initially, in social functions, brothers
would pick fraternity sweethearts among their dates. Later on fraternity
chapters and the most prestigious sorority on its campus would hold a
soiree and then a joint service project; when a brotherly relationship
have been established, the sorority would then affiliate to the
fraternity chapter. Still, most chapters started sister sororities
composed of their friends. Therefore it was not uncommon that the early
fraternity chapters of Alpha Phi Omega associated their group with
sororities bearing different names.

During the 50’s and 60’s, like every other campus with APO chapters, it was Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity and Kappa Phi Omega Sorority that ruled University of the Philippines in Diliman. They were partners…brods and sis. Scan courtesy of Eta Chapter

The Alpha Phi Omega Philippines National Board of Sorority was first
adopted in the 6th National Biennial Convention held at Mapua Institute
of Technology, Manila on March 6-7, 1965, under the national name of
“Alpha Phi Sigma Sorority”, in which it served as the umbrella
organization of all sister sororities of the different fraternity
chapters of Alpha Phi Omega. Alpha Phi Sigma further united, formed and
organized among the groups in order to integrate all the existing sister
sororities into one national sorority under the jurisdiction of the
Alpha Phi Omega Philippines National Executive Board.

The national officers who were elected by the sorority delegates to
serve as the first National Board of Sorority in 1965 were as follows:

In 1968, the APO National Executive Board passed a resolution changing the APO National Sister Sorority name from “Alpha Phi Sigma Sorority” to “APO Auxiliary Sorority (APOAS)”
to have a uniformity name from its nomenclature. Consequently, this
paved the way for the integration of all sister sororities under one
national name, in which it resulted to the recognition and granting of
charter as Alpha Eta Auxiliary Sorority Chapter of Philippine School of
Business and Administration, Manila, on September 17, 1968, with Sister
Amelia P. Acuzar as the holder of National Sorority ID No. 001.

Moreover, the chapters which had established their auxiliary sororities and given charters since 1968 were as follows:

Epsilon chapter auxiliary sorority in 1971. Pi Omega Pi Sorority (POP) was linked as an earlier sister sorority of Epsilon Chapter; However, APO National Office records do not support this alleged claim (3).

Mu, Alpha Nu & Alpha Xi chapter auxiliary sororities in 1971

Nu chapter auxiliary sorority in 1972

Omega chapter auxiliary sorority in 1974

Xi chapter auxiliary sorority in 1975

Subsequently, the 7th National Biennial Convention held at Far
Eastern University, Manila on December 15-16, 1968, adopted the said
existing NEB resolution and officially allowed its collegiate fraternity chapters to admit women as affiliate members.

It was in the 8th National Biennial Convention held at the
University of the Philippines, Los Banos, Laguna on December 17-19,
1971, that the Sorority was formally recognized and accepted as Alpha
Phi Omega Auxiliary Sorority (APOAS), the
sister association of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity. But the name
suggested a dependence on the brotherhood, and so it strived for the
recognition of its own identity.

Finally, during the 10th National Biennial Convention held on March
30 to April 1. 1979, at Camp 7, Minglanilla, Cebu, the realization of
the dream of the sorority came. The National Code of By-laws was amended
and the Alpha Phi Omega Service Sorority (APOSS)
came into being. The Office of the Vice President for Sorority Affairs
was created, thereby giving its total recognition and equal footing with
the Fraternity. Thus the Organization became Alpha Phi Omega
International Philippines Incorporated Service Fraternity and Sorority.

Similarly, Alpha Phi Omega (USA), during
its 23rd National Biennial Convention in St. Missouri, on December
27-29, 1974, officially allowed its collegiate chapters to admit women
as affiliate members. Finally, APhiO-USA,
during its 24th National Biennial Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, on
December 27, 1976, formally accepted as full-fledged “brothers” of the
Fraternity.

The National Office
The National Office for Alpha Phi Omega of the Philippines is at
301-A Two Seventy Midtower Condominium 270 Ermin Garcia, Brgy Silangan,
Cubao, Quezon City. Past locations of the Alpha Phi Omega of the
Philippines office include:

Alpha Phi Omega

Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ) (commonly known as APO,[3] but also A-Phi-O[4] and A-Phi-Q[5]) is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States,
with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of
approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members. There
are also 250 chapters in the Philippines and one in Australia.

Alpha Phi Omega is a co-edservicefraternity organized to provide community service, leadership development,[6]
and social opportunities for college students. Chapters range in size
from a handful of active members to over 200 active members, independent
of each college's size.

The purpose of the fraternity is "to assemble college students in a
National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of principles derived from
the Scout Oath and Scout Law of the Boy Scouts of America;
to develop Leadership, to promote Friendship, and to provide Service to
humanity; and to further the freedom that is our national, educational,
and intellectual heritage."[7]
Unlike many other fraternities, APO's primary focus is to provide
volunteer service within four areas: service to the community, service
to the campus, service to the fraternity, and service to the nation as
participating citizens.[2]
Being primarily a service organization, the fraternity restricts its
chapters from maintaining fraternity houses to serve as residences for
their members.[8] This also encourages members of social fraternities and sororities that have houses to join APO as well.

History:

Alpha Phi Omega was founded on December 16, 1925 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania,[1] by Frank Reed Horton
and 13 other students who were former Boy Scouts and scouters, as a way
to continue participating in the ideals of Scouting at the college
level. Six advisors were also inducted: President John H. MacCracken,
Dean Donald B. Prentice, Professors D. Arthur Hatch and Harry T.
Spengler; one local Scouting official, Herbert G. Horton, and one
national Scouting official, the national director of relationships for
the Boy Scouts of America, Ray O. Wyland.[9] The founders insisted that all those gaining membership must pledge to uphold the fraternity's three cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service.

Alpha Phi Omega became a national fraternity on January 11, 1927 with the founding of Beta chapter at University of Pittsburgh.[9] Horton served as Supreme Grand Master from the founding of the fraternity until the 1931 convention. A total of 18 chapters were founded during this period. At the 1931 convention, H. Roe Bartle was elected as Supreme Grand Master (title changed to National President in 1934)[10][11] and served through World War II, stepping down at the 1946 convention.
During his time as president, the number of chapters grew to 109. Early
in his term (October 1931), Alpha Phi Omega was formally recognized by
the Boy Scouts of America.[12]

Beginnings of an international fraternity:

Main article: History of Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines
The most rapid growth of the fraternity was in the post-war years. By
1950, Alpha Phi Omega had 227 chapters in the United States. The first
chapter outside the US was organized in the Philippines that year. Many
Filipinos were active in the Boy Scouts. Sol Levy, an APO member from University of Washington introduced the organization to Filipino Scouts. Librado I. Ureta, a graduate student at Far Eastern University in Manila, was among the audience. Inspired by Levy's words, he read the publications and shared them with fellow Eagle Scouts
and students on the FEU campus. He asked their opinion about Levy's
desire and the response was good. On March 2, 1950, the Alpha Phi Omega
International Service Fraternity was chartered on campus.[13]

Alpha Phi Omega grew rapidly in the Philippines. By its third year, seven chapters had been chartered at Manila and Visayan
schools and it was registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as a nonstock, nonprofit, and nondividend corporation. Alpha
Phi Omega (Phil.) Inc. was the first branch of the fraternity to be
chartered outside the USA.[13]

Membership in Alpha Phi Omega-USA opened to womenThe fraternity was opened fully to women in 1976.[14]
All members are called "Brothers," regardless of gender. The Fraternity
views "Brothers" as a gender-neutral term. Before women were allowed to
join, several smaller sororities, parallel in ideals but independent in structure, were formed for women who had been Camp Fire Girls or Girl Scouts, including Gamma Sigma Sigma and Omega Phi Alpha.
Several Alpha Phi Omega chapters also had started "little sister"
groups; some of which formed separate organizations (e.g. Jewels of Tau,
Phyettes etc.).[15]

The first step in paving the way for women to join Alpha Phi Omega was the Constitutional Convention in 1967, which removed the requirement that members have affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America.[16]

In the early 1970s, co-ed membership was proposed by several chapters
but failed to reach the two-thirds majority support at the National
Conventions which was required to alter the organization's bylaws. Some
chapters went co-ed prior to 1976, despite the fact that the national
by-laws did not allow it. They did so by registering women by using only
the first letter of their first name. Many chapters that attempted to
register women with the national office would receive the paperwork and
fees back for women initiates. The Alpha Chi chapter at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ran their own printing press, and thus was able to generate certificatesand membership cards for their own female initiates.[15]

At the 1974 National Convention, the Fraternity allowed chapters to have women as affiliate members of the fraternity, and during the 1976 National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia,
the decision was made to formally welcome females as full members of
the fraternity. As with many major changes, this one caused a great deal
of consternation, especially among several long-established chapters.
Many of these chapters threatened to disassociate with the national
fraternity if they were forced to become co-ed. In order to preserve the
unity of the fraternity as a whole, the amendment was crafted such that
it did not require existing chapters to admit women as members albeit
all new chapters had to. It was felt that with the course of time, all
would go coed. This "gentleman's agreement" was formalized in a
resolution at the 1998 Convention
and includes the following points: "The fraternity continues to
encourage all Chapters and petitioning groups to open their membership
to all students. All Chapters and petitioning groups have the right to
choose their own members using objective and open policies that are
consistent with the Fraternity’s governing documents, the rules of the
host institutions that they serve and the traditions of that Chapter, if
any. Single-gender Chapters chartered before the 1976 National
Convention may remain single-gender unless they become inactive or
coeducational. All Petitioning Groups seeking to charter or re-charter
will be and remain co-educational.[17]
Allowing women members in 1976 reversed the continuing steep decline in
membership of the Fraternity and started a growth cycle in the
Fraternity.[18]

Requirement of Open Membership
At the July 2005 National Board of Directors meeting a resolution was
passed: "The actions of the 1976 and 1998 National Conventions have
attempted to clarify the Fraternity’s open membership policy…The
National Board is charged with…enforcing the membership policies of the
Fraternity as well as ensuring compliance with applicable laws…and upon
advice of legal counsel, all chapters must practice open membership
without regard of gender".[19]
A decision by the 2006 National Convention on December 30, 2006, has
essentially upheld the Board's previous resolution, adding additional
clarifications to the transitional process for the all-male chapters,
including a timeline for completion of their transition to
co-educational status by the 2008 National Convention, and the establishment of a committee consisting of active members and alumni to assist with the process.[20] In the spring of 2008, the Sigma Xi chapter at the University of Maine formally disassociated from the national fraternity, forming a new fraternity: Alpha Delta.
They cited that their action was due to an "ideological split",
claiming that the national fraternity allowed female members to join and
took away the student-focus.[21] In addition, Brothers from Zeta Theta chapter at Drexel University and Pi Chi Chapter at Duquesne University have joined this new fraternity.[22]

On December 30, 2006, the 2006 National Convention in Louisville,
Kentucky elected the first female National President of the
organization, Maggie Katz.[23] Brother Katz was re-elected, without contest, on December 30, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.[24]

International Council
The International Council of Alpha Phi Omega (ICAPO) was created at the 1994 Dallas-Fort Worth Alpha Phi Omega (USA) national convention
with the signing of the charter document. Meetings followed at the 1995
Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) and the 1996 Phoenix Alpha Phi Omega -
USA National Convention. At the 1996 convention, a formal set of
operating policies for the council was signed and the first officers
were elected. ICAPO meetings now occur in conjunction with Alpha Phi
Omega national conventions in the USA and the Philippines.[25]

Programs

The programs of the fraternity are centered around developing its
three Cardinal Principles: Leadership, Friendship, and Service. Many
chapters plan a several local service projects throughout the year,
including blood drives,[26] tutoring,[27] charity fundraising events,[28] Scouting events,[29] used book exchanges,[30] Boy Scout Merit Badge days,[7] campus escort initiatives,[31] and housing construction/rehabilitation.[27]
Signature projects include the annual National Service Week, in the
first full week of November, and the Global Spring Youth Service Day in
April.[32][33]
Many of the operations of individual chapters are left to their own
discretion, though most chapters have membership requirements which
require a certain number of hours of service each semester. In the
United States, on April 14, 2003, the fraternity received the Daily
Point of Light Award in recognition of its members, who give unselfishly
of their time and energy on a daily basis, and who cumulative donate an
average of over 300,000 hours of community service each semester.[34]

APO LEADS
APO LEADS is a leadership development program organized by the
national organization of Alpha Phi Omega in the United States. The APO
LEADS program consists of five individual modular components of
leadership development. Each of these modular components focus on skills
that will help the participant be a successful leader and team member
in Alpha Phi Omega and in life. The five components of APO LEADS are
Launch, Explore, Achieve, Discover, and Serve. At the completion of the
series of courses, the participant will have a set of transferable
skills that are applicable to Alpha Phi Omega, to the working world, as
well as to leadership in other organizations. APO LEADS has its roots in
an earlier program, the Leadership Development Workshop (LDW). The LDW
was an all day, eight hour leadership development course that was
offered to members during the 1980s and 1990s. It was reorganized into
the current APO LEADS program, which was rolled out in 2002.[35]

National Service Week
In the US, Alpha Phi Omega organizes National Service Week (NSW), a
project collaboration encompassing all chapters across the nation. The
original concept of a "national service project" dates back to the 1948
national convention, in which delegates approved the rebuilding of the
Scout Hut at Hallows Church in London after World War II.[36]
There were several other national service efforts outside of NSW,
including a recent international book drive in 2001, in which chapters
collected approximately 100,000 books for schools in the Philippines.[37]

NSW began in 1987 as National Service Day, and later expanded to
National Service Week in 1997 to allow for greater flexibility and
increased participation while retaining the sense of unity of the
original concept. NSW is always held during the first full week of
November.[36]

A theme for NSW is selected by the delegates of each national convention. Past NSW themes include:[38]

Spring Youth Service Day is Alpha Phi Omega's effort in participating in the Global Youth Service Day project with its partner organization, Youth Service America.
During one weekend in April, millions of youth participate in this
project, which bills itself as the largest service event in the world.
Projects include tutoring young children, disaster relief, voter registration, nutritional awareness, distributing HIV/AIDS prevention
materials, and more. Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a
lifelong path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public,
the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community
leaders.[39][40][41]

OrganizationInternational
The International Council of Alpha Phi Omega (ICAPO) is the
coordinating council of the Alpha Phi Omega National Organizations.
During the 1980s, contact between Alpha Phi Omega (USA) and Alpha Phi
Omega (Philippines) increased. National presidents Earle Herbert (USA)
and Carlos "Caloy" Caliwara (Philippines) as well as other leaders in
the two organizations concluded there was a need for an international
coordinating body to promote the ideals of the fraternity around the
world.[25]

As stated in the charter of ICAPO:[25]
"The purpose of the ICAPO is to promote the principles and ideals of
Alpha Phi Omega, as originally exemplified by Frank Reed Horton, around
the world. To this end, the Council aids in introducing and establishing
collegiate-based Alpha Phi Omega organizations in countries where it is
not now located and assists in institutionalizing Alpha Phi Omega
organizations in countries where it is currently introduced or
established. It serves as an official link among the variously
established independent national Alpha Phi Omega organizations, and
works to promote a deeper understanding and an increased working
relationship among the independent national organizations."

While the ICAPO binds both Alpha Phi Omega (USA) and Alpha Phi Omega
(Philippines) into one larger international organization, the respective
national organizations operate as individual organizations with a high
degree of autonomy. Alpha Phi Omega (USA) has committed to the
establishment of Alpha Phi Omega in Canada, and Alpha Phi Omega
(Philippines) has committed to the establishment of Alpha Phi Omega in
Australia.[42]

United States

In the United States, Alpha Phi Omega is organized into five levels.[8]

There are over 350 Chapters and a number of Alumni Associations.
Each chapter has student brothers who perform service and elect their
officers, as well as Faculty, Scouting, and Service Advisors drawn from
the college and local communities. Each Chapter usually has a Sectional
Representative appointed by the local Sectional Chair.

There are around sixty Sections consisting of geographically
close chapters. Each is headed by a Sectional Chair who is elected to a
one year term at each Section's annual Conference. Many Sectional Chairs
have a group of volunteer Sectional Staff, usually consisting of alumni
of various chapters.

There are eleven Regions consisting of geographically close
sections and chapters. Each is headed by an elected Regional Director
who is a member of the National Board, and heads a group of volunteer
Regional Staff, usually consisting of alumni of various chapters. Each
Director is elected by the chapters in that Region.

There is the National Board of Directors, comprising the
elected National Officers, the Regional Directors, and others. These
officers are elected at the biennial National Convention to two-year
terms and include the National President, National Vice-President, six
National Program Directors. Appointed officials include the
International Relations Directors, National Archivist, Legal Counsel and
others.

The supreme authority is the National Convention, which meets
every two years. It consists of one or two voting delegates from each
chapter, one alumni voting delegate from each region, and all the
members of the National Board of Directors. These voting delegates
consider changes to the Fraternity's policies, Bylaws, and Articles of
Incorporation for the National Board of Directors to handle between
Conventions. All members of the Fraternity are invited to attend, to
participate in leadership development seminars, service projects, and
fellowship events.